West Beckwith Mountain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids West Beckwith Mountain
West Beckwith Peak
West Beckwith Mountain viewed from the southeast.
Highest point
Elevation	12,185 ft (3,714 m)
Prominence	1,465 ft (447 m)
Isolation	1.8 mi (2.9 km)
Geography
West Beckwith Mountain Location in Colorado
Location	Gunnison County, Colorado, US
Parent range	West Elk Mountains
Topo map	USGS 7.5' topographic map West Beckwith Mountain, Colorado
Climbing
Easiest route	hike

West Beckwith Mountain is a cool mountain peak in the West Elk Mountains. These mountains are part of the bigger Rocky Mountains in North America. This peak stands tall at about 12,185 feet (3,714 meters) high!

You can find West Beckwith Mountain in the West Elk Wilderness. This wilderness area is part of the Gunnison National Forest. It's located in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. The mountain is about 16.5 miles (26.5 kilometers) southwest of a town called Crested Butte.

How West Beckwith Mountain Was Formed

West Beckwith Mountain is a special type of mountain called a laccolith. Imagine a giant bubble of hot, melted rock, called magma, deep underground. About 30 million years ago, this magma pushed its way into layers of softer rock, specifically a type of rock called Mancos Shale.

The Process of Formation

• The magma pushed upwards but didn't break through to the surface.
• Instead, it spread out like a mushroom cap between the rock layers.
• Over millions of years, the softer rocks above the magma slowly wore away. This process is called erosion.
• As the softer rock disappeared, the harder, cooled magma was left behind. This hard rock is called igneous rock.

This is how West Beckwith Mountain, made of tough igneous rock, became visible. It's one of many laccoliths in the West Elk Mountains and the nearby Elk Mountains.

Historical Names

• West Beckwith Peak